The NFL season is here, and with it comes another year of big plays, huge upsets & plenty of hot takes!

Each week, we’ll be putting our NFL experts Nat Coombs & Neil Reynolds head-to-head as they make their picks for the weekend’s biggest games. Who’s going to come out on top?

Week 8 Recap

Week 8 brought another weekend of big calls, unexpected results and plenty of NFL drama as Nat & Neil continued their prediction battle. And this time, Neil has edged ahead!

Who got what right?

Neil's big calls: Neil backed the Buffalo Bills to beat the Baltimore Ravens, and he got that one spot on! Buffalo secured a convincing 36–10 win, while Nat's faith in a Ravens upset didn't pay off. Neil also correctly backed the Detroit Lions to get past the Minnesota Vikings, with Detroit claiming a 19–15 victory.

Nat's big call: Nat went against Neil's prediction and backed the Chicago Bears to beat the Seattle Seahawks. It proved to be a great call, as Chicago came away with a dominant 34–17 win on Monday Night Football. Neil's Seahawks pick missed the mark.

Plenty of shared picks: The pair agreed on the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. Green Bay delivered with a 27–19 win over Carolina, but the Chiefs couldn't get the job done, losing 28–24 to the Denver Broncos.

The final verdict: Neil takes the Week 8 win! He finished with three correct picks from the five featured games, while Nat managed two. Neil's calls on Buffalo and Detroit proved the difference, despite Nat getting the better of him with Chicago.

Scores on the doors

After eight weeks of NFL action, Neil has edged back into the lead!

Week 8: Nat 2 - 3 Neil

Overall: Nat 32 - 33 Neil

It's incredibly close, with just one point separating them in the overall standings. Neil has reclaimed the lead, but Nat is hot on his heels and there's still plenty of football left to play.

Can Nat fight back and level the score in Week 9, or will Neil extend his lead? The NFL crystal balls are still very much in play!

Over to you Neil... Neil’s NFL Picks - Week 9

It’s time to continue my weekly predictions battle with Nat Coombs - encouraged & instigated by our friends at Hickory’s Smokehouse.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons

The Bengals have won three in a row and have one of the very best quarterbacks in the league in Joe Burrow. The Falcons have lost three of their last four and have offensive inconsistencies. But I just have a weird feeling in this weird season. Neil’s Pick… Atlanta Falcons

New York Jets vs Kansas City Chiefs 

The medicine to cure what is ailing Kansas City comes in the form of a Jets team that has lost six of their last seven – all by one score. The Chiefs let one get away from them in Denver, but their two-game slide ends here. Neil’s Pick… Kansas City Chiefs

Denver Broncos vs Carolina Panthers

Both quarterbacks in this game – Denver’s Bo Nix and Carolina’s Bryce Young – can be wildly inconsistent. But I just trust the Broncos because they have the better overall team, come from a tougher division and have won four in a row. Neil’s Pick… Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers vs New England Patriots

There is little between these teams who have both won four of their last five. Green Bay’s Jordan Love and New England’s Drake Maye both like to bomb the ball downfield and will be key in this game. But coaching will also matter and I give the edge to Mike Vrabel. Neil’s Pick… New England Patriots

Buffalo Bills vs Minnesota Vikings

Who fancies a Monday Night Football chess match as Minnesota’s dominant defense attempts to keep Buffalo QB Josh Allen in check. I’m not sure that can happen when Allen is supported by James Cook at running back. And I don’t trust the Vikings attack. Neil’s Pick… Buffalo Bills

For a more complete breakdown of each weeks’ games, make sure you check out my Inside Pro Football Substack blog for my picks column each Thursday. And please subscribe if you like my work… it’s free.

...Nat's Picks are In

Cincinnati Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons

International Series games are notoriously hard to predict, and this one is even more complex on the surface given the Bengals are the most Jekyll & Hyde outfit in the NFL right now, swerving lanes from shambolic to Super Bowl contenders, often in the same game. But however good Bijan Robinson is, I’m backing Joe Burrow over Michael Penix in a shootout each and every time. Nat’s Pick… Cincinnati Bengals

New York Jets vs Kansas City Chiefs 

The Jets are building something interesting talent wise, and with three first rounders (likely all in the Top 10) in the 2027 Draft, they’ll only consolidate that position. But right here, right now, they’re set for another losing season, albeit one which they’re showing fight in close games. The big question on KC is whether they have a resolute plan B if Ken Walker gets shut down. Nat’s Pick… Kansas City Chiefs

Denver Broncos vs Carolina Panthers

Whatever you think of Bo Nix, and whether he’s the guy to take the Broncos to the promised land, he is certainly clutch, and there are Eli Manning parallels to consider. Carolina feels like they’re losing ground in the NFC South and need to arrest the slide after back-to-back defeats if they’re going to keep pace with the Bucs over the stretch. Nat’s Pick… Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers vs New England Patriots

Jordan Love and Drake Maye are two of the most in-form QB’s right now and Love is doing it without a ground game, or apparently, much of an offensive line. Maye has bounced back well from the Super Bowl hangover, and his erratic start to the season, and will further cement the Pats AFC credits if he can overcome a growingly impressive. Nat’s Pick… Green Bay Packers

Buffalo Bills vs Minnesota Vikings

The Bills are defensively frail, which is an ideal spot for Kyler Murray to finally get something going with this Vikings offense. If he doesn’t, expect Minnesota to make a move before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Josh Allen vs the best D in football is tantalising, and I’m backing Brian Flores to keep the great QB in enough check, to allow Minnesota to eke out the win. Nat’s Pick… Minnesota Vikings

For more from me be sure to catch the Nat Coombs Show where this season I'll be joined by an All-Pro crew of expert voices from both sides of the pond, getting you up to speed on all the latest news & key stories from around the league.

...and there we have it. Who’s got it right?

And there we have it - Week 9’s picks are locked in! Nat & Neil are back for another round of NFL predictions, with Neil holding a narrow one-point lead after edging last week’s battle.

It’s a week of a few disagreements, with the pair backing the same team in two of our five featured matchups.

The big head-to-heads? Cincinnati Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons, where Neil is backing Atlanta to spring a surprise, while Nat is putting his faith in Joe Burrow and the Bengals. They’re also split on Green Bay Packers vs New England Patriots, with Neil backing New England and Nat tipping Green Bay to come out on top.

They’re united on the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos, but will those shared picks pay off? The pair are also split on Buffalo Bills vs Minnesota Vikings, with Neil backing Josh Allen and the Bills, while Nat is tipping Minnesota to cause an upset.

With Neil leading 33-32 overall, every point counts. Can Nat draw level, or will Neil extend his advantage? Keep an eye out for the results and see who’s got the better NFL crystal ball!

Fancy watching the NFL with us? Head to your nearest Hickory’s and join us for NFL Sundays, with selected games live on the big screens, plenty of atmosphere and all the action as the season unfolds.

See you back here next week for Nat & Neil's NFL Sunday Picks Week 10!